Saints prepare for tough turnaround with Falcons game Thursday

Carolina Panthers cornerback James Bradberry (24) reaches back to try to tackle New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (22) during the first half at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday, December 3, 2017.

"[Jones] ran away from me ... and he broke it off".

The non-Panthers game of most interest to Panthers fans this week is for sure the Thursday nighter, when the Falcons host the Saints - the first of two meetings in a three-week span.

The Atlanta Falcons now find themselves in the mix of teams in the NFC competing for one of the two wild card spots.

Also, Atlanta's running backs and receivers are a bad matchup for the improved Saints defense.

The Panthers were also hamstrung by the play of their offensive line.

Ingram did not practice Tuesday because of a toe injury, but he is expected to play against the Falcons. "I still want to be in there more and carry the ball more, but it's working and there's enough touches for both of us". Their O/U trends are 1-6-1 in their last 8 games vs. NFC South, 1-4 in their last 5 home games, 16-5-1 in their last 22 games vs. NFC, 5-2-1 in their last 8 Thursday games, and 1-4 in their last 5 games following a loss and an ATS loss. "Nine times out of 10, if it had been anyone else, they would have gone down". It just helps to have a really good stable of backs that kind of takes the pressure off of him.

"The thing that has really jumped out to me - it's his balance", Quinn added. You know, a house-warmer? The Saints (9-3) finished off a season sweep of the Panthers with a 31-21 win at home last Sunday, while the Falcons (7-5) were held without a touchdown in a 14-9 home loss to Minnesota. They were again grounded, however, by a Vikings team that ended Matt Ryan's streak of 30 consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass in a 14-9 triumph.

Thursday night against the Saints the Falcons are going to have to pull out all the stops to take down a resurgent New Orleans Saints team. The entire Vikings defense, and their wily old coach, did.

The day after the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl, my friend at work and huge Patriots fan, seemed shocked when I said, "Boston wasn't the happiest city in America last night". But starting left guard Andy Levitre has a partially torn triceps and may not play. "We're right back into our division".

"Well, we all know it's not No. 3".

The Falcons converted only 1-of-10 third downs against Minnesota, and many of them were long-yardage situations, which skewed the odds for success, Quinn said.

While the Falcons won't have to worry about Brees picking up big gains with his legs, they will have their hands full trying to slow down Ingram and Kamara, who are basically doing what Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman did for Atlanta's offense last season.